The
George M. O'Brien Urology Research Center in the Division of
Urology, School of Medicine, has been competitively renewed with
increased funding by NIH for the next five years. The Division of
Urology received this center grant from NIDDK under the directorship
of Dr. Samuel K. Chacko, professor of pathology at the School of
Veterinary Medicine and Director of the Urology Research Center.
This research program, Remodeling of Urinary Bladder Smooth Muscle
in Outlet Obstruction, is one of only five O'Brien Urology
Research Centers.

The other four centers are in the Urology Divisions at Harvard University,
University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, and University
of Virginia.

According
to Dr. Chacko, the O'Brien award "will help provide an
environment for investigators to apply state-of-the-art tools in
cell and molecular biology to research related to the pathogenesis
of urologic diseases." The research program coordinates investigation
of the cell/molecular basis of contractile dysfunctions which occur
in bladder smooth muscle cells following bladder obstruction in
small mammals. The changes seen in these animal models are similar
to those seen in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)--a
condition that affects more than half of men in their sixties and
as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties. Dr. Alan
J. Wein, chair of the Division of Urology said that this condition,
which can lead to bladder dysfunction and incontinence, is a leading
cause for institutionalization of the elderly and costs an estimated
$10 billion a year.

The
center is composed of faculty in the School of Medicine, School
of Veterinary Medicine, and School of Dental Medicine, as well as
investigators in Pediatric Urology at CHOP.

Major
studies at the Penn O'Brien Urology Research Center are 1)
Extracellular matrix changes in response to obstruction (Dr. Edward
Macarak of the School of Dental Medicine), 2) Effect of extracellular
matrix and stretch on the expression of smooth muscle phenotype
during detrusor smooth muscle remodeling (Dr. Michael DiSanto of
the School of Medicine), and 3) Cellular and molecular basis of
detrusor contractility and bladder dysfunction in obstruction-induced
detrusor remodeling (Dr. Chacko of the School of Veterinary Medicine
& School of Medicine). Dr. Stephen Zderic of Pediatric Urology
will direct a core facility in the Abramson Research Laboratory
at CHOP.

The
O'Brien Urology Research Center will also give two (2 year)
grants annually ($60,000 each per year) for Pilot & Feasibility
studies related to cell/molecular basis of urologic diseases. These
grants will provide seed money for studies on smooth muscle, epithelium
or connective tissue in the lower urinary and male genital systems.

Grants
will be awarded on a competitive basis to new and established investigators
in the basic science and clinical departments who are interested
in focusing their research on basic science--oriented research
in urology.

The
two initial pilot projects to be supported are 1) Diminution of
detrusor hypertrophy in outlet obstruction by inhibition of calcineurin
pathway (Stephen Zderic of CHOP), and